Device for adjusting the position of an armrest of a chair

ABSTRACT

A device for adjusting the position of an armrest of a chair, which comprises a clamp, stably associated with the chair, which interacts selectively with a vertical position selector, associated with a box-like body which constitutes the armrest. The vertical position selector is actuatable by virtue of means which can be activated by the user and comprise a slider which can slide below the armrest and is adapted to activate/deactivate the actuation of the vertical position selector

The present invention relates to a device for adjusting the position ofan armrest of a chair.

Currently it is known to provide chairs which comprise a seat, a backand lateral armrests on which the user can rest his forearms.

Armrests are known which can adjust their position substantially alongan axis that is vertical with respect to the ground or can rotatesubstantially on a plane that is horizontal with respect to the ground.

However, these armrests of a known type have a drawback: since the backcan oscillate and the seat can move, the user can assume a posture thatcauses the arms to be anatomically arranged on the armrests in a mannerthat creates tensions or fatigue since the anus are excessively orinsufficiently flexed.

The aim of the present invention is therefore to solve the describedtechnical problems, eliminating the drawbacks of the cited backgroundart and thus providing a device that allows to achieve the optimumadjustment of the position of an armrest of a chair regardless of theposition assumed by the back or by the seat.

Within this aim, an object of the invention is to provide a device inwhich this adjustment and its variation can be achieved rapidly andeffectively.

Another object of the invention is to obtain a device in which thisadjustment can be achieved and kept stable in a chosen position.

Another object of the invention is to obtain a device that can also beapplied to chairs of a known type.

Another object of the invention is to obtain a device that isstructurally simple, has low manufacturing costs and can be providedwith ordinary known systems.

This aim and these objects, as well as others which will become betterapparent hereinafter, are achieved by a device for adjusting theposition of an armrest of a chair, characterized in that it has a clamp,stably associated with said chair, which interacts selectively with avertical position selector, associated with a box-like body whichconstitutes said armrest, said vertical position selector beingactuatable by virtue of means which can be activated by the user andcomprise a slider which can slide below said armrest and is adapted toactivate/deactivate the actuation of said vertical position selector.

Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will becomebetter apparent from the detailed description of a particular but not toexclusive embodiment, illustrated by way of non-limiting example in theaccompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a view of the armrest, containing the device according to theinvention, associated with a chair;

FIG. 2 is a bottom perspective view of the armrest containing the isdevice according to the invention;

FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the armrest and of the device according tothe invention;

FIG. 4 is a bottom view, containing the device according to theinvention, in the condition of use and from which the lower half-shellhas been removed;

FIG. 5 is a view, similar to FIG. 4, of the armrest, in which the upperhalf-shell has been removed;

FIG. 6 is a view taken along the sectional plane VI-VI of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a view, similar to FIG. 4, of the device according to theinvention in the slider activation condition;

FIG. 8 is a top view from which the shell 27 and the upper half-shell 6have been removed;

FIGS. 9 and 10 are lateral perspective views of two different positionsthat can be assumed by the clamp and by the selector;

FIG. 11 is a view, similar to FIG. 6, of the armrest in a differentposition;

FIGS. 12 and 13 are lateral perspective views, respectively, of theclamp and of the selector.

In the embodiments that follow, individual characteristics, given inrelation to specific examples, may actually be interchanged with otherdifferent characteristics that exist in other embodiments.

With reference to the figures, the reference numeral 1 designates adevice for adjusting the position of an armrest 2 associated with achair 3.

The armrest 2 is provided with a box-like body 4 which is composed to ofa lower half-shell 5 and an upper half-shell 6, which can be mutuallycoupled detachably.

The lower half-shell 5 has, at a rear end 7, a base 8 that protrudesdownward from it, said base 8 having means adapted to allow itsrotatable connection to a support 9 associated with the frame 10 of thechair 3.

The device 1 comprises a clamp 11, which is arranged inside said lowerhalf-shell 5 and is provided with a first body 12, which issubstantially shaped like a parallelepiped and below which two firsttabs 13 a, 13 b protrude which are arranged diametrically with respectto each other and are accommodated between a pair of second tabs 14 a,14 b that protrude from the base 8, and a central nut 15, which acts asa seat for the stem 16 of a first pivot 17 associated rotatably with theunderlying base 8.

An annular groove 19 is provided on the stem 16, proximate to itsterminal end 18 that interacts with the central nut 15, and acts as aseat for a first washer 20 which is adapted to interact rotatably withthe lower surface of the central nut 15 of the body 12.

A second tab 22 shaped substantially like a parallelepiped protrudesfrom a lateral end of the first body 12, in the direction of the seat 21the chair 3, and is directed upward according to a chosen inclination;multiple first teeth 23 are provided at the end of the second tab,protrude radially and are arranged along a circular arc that is centeredon a first hole 24 that is provided transversely to the first body 12 ina region that lies approximately above the central nut 15.

The first teeth 23 have a width that is approximately equal to half thewidth of the second tab 22.

Inside the first hole 24 there is a second pivot 25 for the pivoting ofthe wings 26 of a shell 27 which can be associated below the upperhalf-shell 6 and is contained therein and partially in the lowerhalf-shell 5.

The shell 27 is connected by snap action to the upper half-shell 6 and,by means of first screws 28 a, 28 b, to the lower half-shell 5, which inturn is to connected to the base 8.

The clamp 11 selectively interacts with a vertical position selector 29,which is associated with the boxlike body 4 that constitutes the armrest2; in particular, the vertical position selector 29 has a second body 30that is shaped substantially like a parallelepiped with a rectangularbase on which a first slot 31 is provided transversely which acts as aseat for a second screw 32 for connection to said overlying shell 27.

A third tab 33 protrudes in the direction of said second tab 22 from thesecond body 30 of the vertical position selector 29, adjacent to theclamp 11, and multiple second teeth 34 are provided and protruderadially at the end of the third tab 33 that is directed toward saidclamp 11 and are arranged so as to mesh selectively with the first teeth23 of the clamp following a transverse movement that can be imparted tothe vertical position selector 29 with respect to the clamp 11.

This transverse movement is actuated by a slider 35 which can slide in alower region and longitudinally with respect to the lower half-shell 5since it has a wing 36, which can be gripped by the user, from which aprotrusion 37 protrudes which is accommodated slidingly within a seat 38provided longitudinally to the lower half-shell 5, connected at the freeend to a longitudinal bar 39 which in turn is slidingly associatedlongitudinally and internally with respect to the lower half-shell 5.

The longitudinal bar 39 has, at an end 40 that is directed oppositelywith respect to the clamp 11, a hole 41 which acts as a seat for a thirdscrew 42 for connection to the protrusion 37 of the slider 35.

At the end 43 of the longitudinal bar 39 that is directed toward theclamp 11 there is a fourth tab 44, which has a substantially square planshape and lies on a plane that is lower than the plane of arrangement ofthe second body 30.

A second slot 45 is provided on the fourth tab 44 and is inclined,substantially along a diagonal, with respect to the fourth tab 44.

A third pivot 46 acts at the second slot 45 and protrudes below thesecond body 30 in a region that is adjacent to the first slot 31.

A longitudinal movement of the slider 35 is matched by a movement of thetab 44 that entrains the third pivot 46, which imposes a transversemovement to the second body 30 by such an extent as to disengage thesecond teeth 34 from the first teeth 23; by doing so it is possible toimpose an upward or downward rotation to the armrest 2.

There is a first elastically deformable element 47, interposed between afirst wing 48 which protrudes from the longitudinal bar 39 proximate tothe third screw 42, and there is a second wing 49, which protrudes fromthe lower half-shell 5 at a third slot provided axially to thelongitudinal bar 39.

There is a second elastically deformable element 51 interposed betweenthe internal side wall 52 of the lower half-shell 5, toward which thesecond body 30 moves, and a pivot 53 which protrudes from the facingside of the second body 30.

The first and second elastically deformable elements 47, 51 allow theslider 35 and the second body 30, respectively, to return to theirposition once the actuation of the slider 35 by the user has ceased.

There is a pair of fourth screws 54 a, 54 b which are adapted to connectthe lower half-shell 5 to the shell 27, the screws being preferablyarranged to the side of the seat 38.

Operation is as follows: starting from the condition shown in FIG. 6,when the user wishes to change the inclination of the armrest 2 it issufficient for him to grip the slider 35 with his fingers, pulling ittoward its free end.

By doing so, a longitudinal movement is imposed on the longitudinal bar39, which in turn imposes a transverse movement on the second body 30 ofthe vertical position selector 29 until the first teeth 23 aredisengaged from the second teeth 34.

It thus possible to raise or lower the armrest 2 to the desiredposition.

When the user releases the slider 35, the first elastically deformableelement 47 and the second elastically deformable element 51 return toits position the second body 30 so that the first teeth 23 resumeengaging the second teeth 34.

It has thus been found that the invention has achieved the intended aimand objects, a device having been obtained which allows to achieve theoptimum adjustment of the position of an armrest of a chair regardlessof the position assumed by the back or by the seat, so that the user canarrange his arms in an anatomically correct or preferred condition.

This adjustment and its variation can be achieved rapidly andeffectively and can be achieved and kept stable in a chosen position.

Furthermore, the device can also be applied to chairs of a known typeand is structurally simple, has low manufacturing costs, and can beprovided with ordinary known systems.

The materials used, as well as the dimensions that constitute theindividual components of the invention, may of course be more pertinentaccording to the specific requirements.

The characteristics indicated as advantageous, convenient or the likemay also be omitted or be replaced with equivalents.

The disclosures in Italian Patent Application No. 102019000014490 fromwhich this application claims priority are incorporated herein byreference.

What is claimed is:
 1. A device for adjusting a position of an armrestof a chair, comprising a clamp, stably associated with said chair, whichinteracts selectively with a vertical position selector, associated witha box-like body which constitutes said armrest, said vertical positionselector being actuatable by virtue of means which can be activated by auser and comprise a slider which can slide below said armrest and isadapted to activate/deactivate the actuation of said vertical positionselector.
 2. The device according to claim 1, wherein said box-like bodyis composed of a lower half-shell and an upper half-shell, which can bemutually coupled detachably, said lower half-shell having, at a rearend, a base which protrudes downward from it, said base having meansadapted to allow its rotatable connection to a support associated withthe frame of said chair.
 3. The device according to claim 2, whereinsaid clamp is arranged inside said lower half-shell and has a firstbody, shaped substantially like a parallelepiped, below which two firsttabs protrude which are arranged diametrically with respect to eachother and are accommodated between a pair of second tabs which protrudefrom said base, and a central nut which acts as a seat for the stem of afirst pivot which is associated rotatably with said underlying base, anannular groove being provided on said stem, proximate to a terminal endthereof which interacts with said central nut, and accommodating a firstwasher adapted to interact rotatably with the lower surface of saidcentral nut of said body.
 4. The device according to claim 3, wherein asecond tab substantially shaped like a parallelepiped protrudes from alateral end of said first body in a direction of the seat of said chairand is directed upward with a chosen inclination, multiple first teethbeing provided at an end of said second tab, protruding radially andbeing arranged along a circular arc which is centered on a first holeprovided transversely to said first body in a region that liesapproximately above said central nut, said first teeth having a widthapproximately equal to half of a width of said second tab.
 5. The deviceaccording to claim 4, wherein a second pivot is arranged in said firsthole for the pivoting of the wings of a shell which can be associatedbelow said upper half-shell and contained therein and partially in saidlower half-shell, said shell being connected by snap action to the upperhalf-shell and, by means of first screws, to said lower half-shell,which in turn is connected to said base.
 6. The device according toclaim 4, wherein said vertical position to selector has a second bodysubstantially shaped like a parallelepiped with a rectangular base onwhich a first slot is provided transversely and accommodates a secondscrew for connection to said shell, a third tab protruding toward saidsecond tab from said second body of said vertical position selector,which is adjacent to said clamp, multiple second teeth is being providedand protruding radially at an end of said third tab that is directedtoward said clamp, said multiple second teeth being arranged so as tomesh selectively with said multiple first teeth of said clamp followinga transverse movement which can be imparted to said vertical positionselector with respect to said clamp.
 7. The device according to claim 6,wherein said transverse movement is actuated by said slider, which canslide below and longitudinally to said lower half-shell and has a wing,which can be gripped by the user, from which there protrudes aprotrusion, which is slidingly accommodated within a seat providedlongitudinally to said lower half-shell and is connected at its free endto a longitudinal bar, which in turn is associated slidinglylongitudinally and internally to said lower half-shell, saidlongitudinal bar having, at an end directed oppositely with respect tosaid clamp, a hole which accommodates a third screw for connection tosaid protrusion of said slider, at the end of said longitudinal bardirected toward said clamp there being a fourth tab, which has asubstantially square plan shape and lies on a plane that is lower thanthe plane of arrangement of said second body, a second slot beingprovided on said fourth tab and being inclined, substantially along adiagonal, with respect to said fourth tab.
 8. The device according toclaim 7, wherein a third pivot acts at said second slot and protrudesbelow said second body in a region that is adjacent to said first slot,a longitudinal movement of said slider being matched by a movement ofsaid tab which entrains said third pivot, which imposes a transversemovement on said second body by such an extent as to disengage saidsecond teeth from said first teeth so as to allow an upward or downwardrotation to said armrest.
 9. The device according to claim 7, having afirst elastically deformable element which is interposed between a firstwing, which protrudes from said longitudinal bar proximate to said thirdscrew, and a second wing, which protrudes from said lower half-shell ata third slot provided axially to said longitudinal bar, a secondelastically deformable element being interposed between an internal sidewall of said lower half-shell, toward which said second body moves, anda pivot which protrudes from a facing side of said second body, saidfirst and second elastically deformable elements allowing said sliderand said second body, respectively, to return to position once theactuation of said slider by the user has ceased.
 10. The deviceaccording to claim 7, wherein there is a pair of fourth screws adaptedto connect said lower half-shell to said shell, said pair of fourthscrews being arranged laterally to said seat.